Thursday, August 2, 2007

Time to Solve the Mystery

Last week, I went into the emergency room with chest pains. This is not unusual for me. I have chest pains all the time, but I'm told to go into the emergency room if the pain is unbearable or if it lasts for a long period of time. I decided to go in because I was having two types of chest pains running concurrently. I had a crushing feeling in the middle of my chest accompanied by a stabbing pain on the left side. I've had both pains individually, but never together, so I decided to go in.

I was really embarassed because the doctor in the emergency room was really cute, and when he came in, he touched my hand, and I completely forgot why I was there. I'm sure if a black woman, born in Los Angeles had the ability to get the vapors, I would have gotten them then and there. Then I came to my senses and thought, "Oh yeah. Chest pains. Husband in waiting room. That's why I'm here." I felt like such a twelve year old.

Anyway, he tested me, said he didn't see anything emergent and told me to follow up with my doctor. My doctor thinks that it's my reflux acting up again, and he doubled my Nexium. That's the Nexium that my insurance company isn't paying for, by the way. He also has me going in for an echocardiogram tomorrow morning. Fun times!

With lupus, chest pains can mean an assortment of things. My doctor is performing the echocardiogram to cancel out pericarditis. One condition that's common among people with lupus is plueritis. That's when you get inflammation in the lining of the lungs. It's always good to check with a doctor when you're having chest pains. You just never know.